Moments
by your royal highness
Summary: Tags to Season 6 Episodes, focusing on Tony and Ziva's relationship through the viewpoint of their co-workers. TIVA
1. Agent Afloat: Gibbs

**Scene immediately following the second-to-last scene at the end of the Season 6, Episode 2, 'Agent Afloat'.**

Gibbs watched as Ziva holstered the man who had anthrax in his possession into the seat, his hands handcuffed, "You speak, and I will shoot you." She growled, as if warning him, a certain glint flashing in her eyes that promptly made him shut up. Gibbs chuckled and looked down at the ground as he strapped himself into the seat. Ziva took the seat opposite from Gibbs, strapping herself in as well before Tony made his appearance onto the plane, smiling like an idiot. Ziva and Gibbs both had to admit that they had both missed that smile.

"Let's boogie on out of here!" Tony smiled, sitting down next to Ziva, Gibbs noted. He had missed their usual interaction together in the workplace, and he was rather thrilled to have them both back. Tony buckled his seatbelt as Gibbs noticed that they were sitting unusually close to each other, their thighs touching. He almost raised his eyebrow about this, but didn't want to raise discussion. He knew that they had missed each other. They had been slightly less than obvious; Ziva bringing up how she missed Tony every time she talked to him, one way or the other, and Tony just by the way he looked at him when he said her name. They both missed each other, and right now, they just needed to catch up with each other.

Gibbs understood this. He, however, hoped that their relationship would not escalate.

"It's a long ride home, sweetcheeks." Tony said, but Gibbs could barely hear him over the motor, for he was talking a little too soft for his liking, "You might wanna get some rest."

"What? So that you can take pictures of me again?" She asked, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes, "Idiot."

Gibbs remembered the pictures. Well he had _seen _the pictures. Not like he was actually going to say anything about it, that was, until it really got out of hand, which, at this rate, he had a feeling that was it was about to.

"Hey, it's not my fault you looked hot in those." Tony grinned, and it was time for Gibbs to intervene.

"Hey!" Gibbs demanded, shaking his head at Tony, who snapped his attention from his partner to his boss.

"Sorry, boss. Shutting up now, boss." Gibbs nodded. _That's better. _He thought as he watched Ziva relax.

She had changed. Since her time in Israel, she had changed. She had slightly reverted back to the 'all business, all the time' Mossad officer that she was instead of the NCIS agent he had turned her into. Correction. The NCIS _investigator _he had turned her into. The first day that they had been there, waiting until the morning to find Tony, he swore that she couldn't sleep. No, she _didn't_ sleep. It was almost as if she was nervous that he was going to see her after four months of being separated from each other. Gibbs clearly remembered sleeping a total of three, maybe four hours that night, for Ziva kept walking around, trying to 'clear her head' she insisted. She also spent the longest time he had ever seen a woman spend in the bathroom that morning. Gibbs timed it; 1 hour 56 minutes, and 31 seconds. When she appeared, he noticed that she looked the most stunning that she ever did, even in her simple burgundy shirt and her tan cargo pants. Her hair was beautifully done, not flying all over the place like it normally was, and she had actually bothered to put on the make-up she definitely did not need. He knew that she had a 'thing', some sort of weird attraction to his Senior Field Agent, but, if at all possible, the separation made her care for him even more. (If that was possible, because Gibbs swore it wasn't.) Gibbs had a certain attraction to DiNozzo, but it was more of a father/son relationship than the romantic, flirty one that his two agents carried. He knew about the little looks they sent each other when they thought no one was looking, he knew the little grabs that they did when they swore no one was looking, and he knew about the complete and utter fascination Tony had with staring at Ziva's ass…when he swore that Gibbs was definitely not looking his way. He saw everything, he saw right through Ziva's 'thick skin Mossad trick', and he knew that it was only a matter of time before she broke that skin, and they hooked up. Gibbs had to make sure that that would never, ever, happen.

He had changed as well. Ziva was right, he had gotten older. More mature. He could see it in his eyes. Especially with the way he looked at his partner. Before he was sent out to sea, he would look at her like he wanted to jump her right then and there. He looked at her as solely a sex object to him. Jethro knew what was running through Tony's mind every time he sent Ziva one of 'those looks'. On the ship, he noticed that he looked at her differently. There was more of a kind of sincerity, a kinder side in his brown eyes; something he'd never seen Tony give before. It was almost a look that said that he was the luckiest guy in the world, and that he was grateful that he was there next to her. In fact, he was giving her that look right now.

"If you want to sleep, Zi, you can lean up against me, I don't care." He said, giving her that look again. A different look. A look of security, a look of hope and care. She nodded and then carefully rested her head on his shoulder, nuzzling up against his neck. She quickly fell asleep.

"How come I have the feeling that you two have done this before?" Gibbs suddenly found himself asking, and Tony looked up from his sleeping partner and towards his boss.

"Oh, you're still here! Sorry, boss. I didn't even remember…"

Of course he didn't. Gibbs understood. He was too enthralled with his partner to think about _him_. He should have known better than to bring Ziva along, but then again, he knew that it was for the better. If he hadn't brought the Israeli, he probably never would have heard the end of the string of 'How's Ziva? Where is she? Is she okay?' Questions that were running through Tony's mind.

"I understand." Gibbs nodded as the plane hit a patch of turbulence.

"Boss?" Tony asked, looking up at his boss again.

"Mmhmm?"

"Am I still in trouble? For Jenny's death, I mean." Gibbs sighed. He'd rather not talk about her death, if at all possible.

"You were never in trouble to begin with, DiNozzo." Gibbs said, "What made you think that?"

"Uh…it's just that…I'm the last to be brought back. Why?"

Gibbs shrugged, "Don't ask me. Ask the Director." Gibbs watched as Ziva turned in Tony's arms, and she continued to do it, as if she was having a bad dream, "She okay?" Gibbs asked, concern evident in his eyes.

"Yeah. She does this all the time. All you gotta do is rub her back…" Tony said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and rubbing the small of her back, lightly. She immediately stopped thrashing, "Like that."

"Where'd you learn that?"

"Oh. Well Ziva and I had movie nights." Tony laughed, "You'd be amazed at how many movies she hasn't watched… like Spiderman! Every man in the universe has seen _Spiderman_!" Tony grinned, "You know what, boss? You should come over! It's a DiNozzo/David tradition." He grinned, "Beer, pizza, and a movie. Sometimes Ziva brings out wine but then-" Tony stopped as he realized the look that he was being given by his boss, "Right. Shutting up now."

"No. Continue. I just didn't realize how much time you two really did spend with each other."

"We're partners, Gibbs. And she's my best friend. Did you know that she never wears matching socks? They always have to mismatch? And did you know that her favorite beer is Corona? And that her favorite movie is The Sound of Music? And that she loves those little Italian chocolates, Ferrero Rocher? Did you know that in Hebrew her name means light, splendor, and brightness? And that when she was a kid, she used to sleep with stuffed animals? She still has one. It's a small bear that she named '_Deror' _which means 'freedom' in Hebrew. And did you know that her favorite Italian dish is Tiella, which is a rice dish? And did you know that…" Tony rambled off, listening Ziva's favorite things, from favorite TV show, to favorite shampoo. He smiled. He never knew just how much his senior field agent knew about her. He almost wondered if they had a secret relationship they'd never told him about.

"Tony…Tony…" Gibbs said, but Tony just kept talking. Finally, Gibbs gave up, and he just listened to him talk about her. The hour passed, and Ziva's head still rested against his shoulder, "DiNozzo!" he finally barked, annoyed as he just finished recapping the entire three hours that was 'It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World' and Ziva sat up straight, as if suddenly awoken.

"Morning sunshine," He grinned, pinching her cheeks, "How's my Sleeping Beauty?"

"Fine," She said, swatting him away. She turned to Gibbs, "Are we almost there?"

"We should be landing soon, Ziva." Gibbs nodded, and she nodded as well. Suddenly, Ziva started to scream out, fanning her nose with her hand as she turned with death glares to DiNozzo.

"You do that again, and I swear that I will _shoot you_!" She threatened.

"It was an accident!" He defended himself, putting his hands up in defense as they all felt the plane jolt as the ground collided with the wheels.

"Well we're here." Tony announced, "You got the guy, boss?" He asked as Ziva undid her seatbelt. Gibbs noticed that Tony quickly followed after his partner, but Gibbs caught his arm. He stared after Ziva, longingly, Gibbs noted, "Yeah, boss?"

"You better make sure she doesn't find those bikini photos." Gibbs said, under his breath, and Tony smiled as Gibbs let go of him, who nodded and then chased after Ziva, "Hey! Zi! Wait up!"

Gibbs gave a half smile. They sure did have a weird relationship.


	2. Heartland: Abby

**Scene immediately following the last scene at the end of the Season 6, Episode 4, 'Heartland'.**

Ziva groaned in disgust as she leaned back against the seat, "You could have turned four miles ago, Tony." She spat, "Now we're completely lost, in the middle of nowhere!"

"Well if you haven't noticed, Zee-vah, Stillwater, Pennsylvania is in the middle of nowhere as well. So just calm down!"

"You could have turned four miles ago…" She muttered, and then they both snapped their heads towards the other.

"WHAT?!"

Tony nodded his head and laughed, "Remind you of LA, Ziva?" he asked, grinning like an idiot. She simply crossed her arms and leant back against the seat.

"No." She simply said, "I am not wearing a bikini, and you do not have a camera."

"Hey…I couldn't help myself! You looked so hot, and I had the camera and…"

And that was when Ziva erupted, shouting off half in Hebrew, half in English. The only words that Abby could pick out were 'pig, disgusting, immature, and bikini.'

Abby leaned over to McGee, who was sitting there reading a book, "I hate it when Mom and Dad fight." She whispered, and then the car got deathly quiet.

"_What?_" Tony asked, sharing a look with Ziva.

"Abby's right." McGee said, not looking up from his book, "You two fight like an old married couple. Anyone think that Gibbs and his wives fought like that?" Abby giggled as Tony nodded at Ziva before she quickly snatched the book out of McGee's hands. She handed it to Tony, who read the title and laughed.

"Aw, come _on, _McNerd! A gaming guide to that elf game you play?" He chucked the book back in the back of the seat, and if Abby didn't move, it would have hit her.

The car was unusually quiet for a while after that, and Abby sighed, realizing that they had both changed. Not her and McGee, no, but Tony and Ziva. Tony had gotten older, and maybe a little hotter, and Ziva had become more closed off to the world, which, of course, bugged Tony out of his mind. Ziva stole a glance at Tony, and in those few seconds, she knew that she was desperately trying to read him. She thought she succeeded, as much as she could. She looked back out the window, and Abby continued to study the Israeli's face.

She turned back to look at Tony again, this time a look of pure lust and desire on her face. Abby grinned, "You want to jump him, Ziva." She snapped her head back to the windshield as Tony grinned, turning to look at her.

"You want to jump me, Ziva?" he asked as he pulled off the road and parked the car, "Well come and take me right here, right now!" He said, throwing his arms wide.

Ziva scoffed and rolled her eyes, "I do not 'want you' right now. The only thing I want you to do is drive, so drive."

"I can tune your engine, Ziva." And that was it, she unbuckled her seat belt and lunged herself at him, shoving him up against the window, drawing her knife and placing it deathly close to his jugular.

"You can, can you?" She asked.

"Hey, look, I was just saying…" Tony said, giving a shaky laugh.

"I'll remember that." She said, a small smile curling at her lips.

"Could you two please stop and drive the car?" McGee wined, "I'm starving." Ziva quickly got off of Tony and sat back down in her seat, holstering her knife.

"Like Lee Marvin?" Tony asked, grinning in the back seat, "I think our little ninja chick here needs some food too."

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Tony. We will go and eat, since it seems to be the only thing you care about."

"I care about other things!" he protested.

"Like what? Name three things."

"Movies. Cars. Girls."

"Wrong. You care about womens' body parts, not the actual woman. She could be a completely stitch, and have a large chest, and you would think she was the greatest woman in the world."

"The term is bitch." He said, and she rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. You do not care about the personality of a person. That is my point."

"They're fighting again…" Abby whispered to McGee, who just shook his head and pulled out his iPod from inside of his pocket.

"Tune them out and listen to this." He said, and she pushed it away.

"No, see, Timmy, this is the best part! This is where you find information to blackmail Ziva with as well as Tony!"

Tim rolled his eyes and continued to read, "Whatever, Abby. I'm reading my book. You listen to them, I don't care."

"Okay." She nodded as Tony pulled the Charger into a small diner off the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere. She noticed that Tony and Ziva both shared a look that was either fear or desperation as they got out of the car. Ziva quickly walked over to Tony and pulled him off to the side.

"What do you think they're talking about, Timmy?" Abby asked, and McGee shook his head as he got out of the car.

"Who cares? Why does their relationship matter so much to you?"

She shrugged, "I dunno. Maybe I just like to hook up _soulmates_! Come on, Timmy!"

"Ziva and I are leaving." Tony announced as they came back to the car, a look of pure sadness on Ziva's face.

"What's wrong?" Abby asked, "Does someone need a hug?"

"No. Just bad memories," Tony said, "Come on, let's go."

"Bad memories?" McGee asked, and then he realized, "Oh. Diner. In the middle of nowhere."

Abby caught on immediately, "Jenny." They all said at the same time, looking around at each other.

"By the way." Abby said, "I've been meaning to ask you two. How exactly did you _lose _the director?"

McGee smiled at the two, from where they were standing on the other side of the car. He leaned his crossed arms against the top of the car.

"She told us we had the day off." Tony snapped, "Get in the car." He pointed to it, and McGee and Abby both nodded and smiled at each other before they got into the car. Ziva and Tony followed as Tony ignited the car's engine.

"And what exactly did you two do on your 'day off'?"

"Nothing, probie. Shut up." Tony snapped, sharing a desperate look with Ziva, Abby noted.

Oh, they definitely did _something_. According to Abby, the only thing they did was each other. She hated to admit it, but after seeing the pictures of Ziva in the bikini, she could only assume that Tony wanted her out of that bikini and into bed…with him.

The car ride to the McDonald's was about thirty minutes, and they realized that they were almost back in DC, but starving like mad men.

"You look good in that sweater, Tony." Abby heard Ziva compliment Tony, and she had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. _If she could be anymore obvious…_

"Thanks, Zee-vah." Tony ordered the food, and Ziva decided to stand in line with him as McGee and Abby sat down at the table.

"Could they be any more obvious?" Abby asked McGee, "They're so madly enthralled with the other, it's _insane._" She looked over to them, and they were both smiling at each other, Tony's face less than a foot away from hers. If possible, he leaned closer to her, whispering something in her ear, causing her to laugh, "Ugh!" She groaned, "I just want to..." She smashed her palms together, "Their foreheads together!"

"Abby, I think you're looking way too much into this."

"What?" She asked, "Haven't you _seen _them, McGee! You work the fields with them, you do everything with them, you're part of their team, and you haven't seen them make lovey dovey faces at each other? And flirt like there's no tomorrow!" She rolled her eyes, "McGee, pay attention! Weren't _you _the one that wrote that book about them? Where 'Officer _Lisa_' and 'Agent _Tommy'_ fell in love and made love on the 'white sands'."

"Yeah," McGee said, "So what's your point?"

"Soulmates, Tim!" She exclaimed, "They belong together!" Tony and Ziva both started walking back to the table, food in hand, Tony grinning like an idiot.

"Abs, you're gonna love the toy that they gave you in your happy meal." She clapped her hands together as Tony and Ziva sat down on the other side of the booth, sitting too close to each other than normal people would. She took note of that. All she knew was that she was going to get them together, no matter what. They _needed _each other. She opened up the happy meal and pulled out the toy before grinning and punching McGee.

"Ow!" He said his face full of fries. He rubbed his shoulder, "What was that for?"

She smiled, holding up her toy as Tony broke into a large grin, it aimed at McGee, "Punch buggy!"


	3. Nine Lives: McGee

**Scene immediately following the last scene in Season 6, Episode 5, 'Nine Lives'**

McGee knew.

McGee knew from the look in Tony's eyes and the little 'flick' of the file folder onto Gibbs' desk that something was deeply troubling him.

And then he had to go and 'be an ass' and say that, while Tony was trying to figure out why exactly Ziva was taking a trip to Israel, "Yeah, by this point in time, Tony would have hooked up with several someones'."

He responded with a warning, 'Hey!' and then continued his conversation with Ziva, baiting her while she just shoved the hook away.

Of course, McGee had known a couple of years ago that they were madly in love with each other, I mean, why else did he write that book? He knew before Abby even suspected anything.

But the moment that McGee knew that Tony was so in love with her was when he had walked into the bullpen and Tony was snooping around Ziva's desk. He had found something, and McGee was yet to learn what it was. Until now.

"Hey." He said as he walked into the bullpen. He had just been down in Abby's lab, and he was ready to pack up and go home. It had been a long, confusing, tiring day. Tony was sitting at his desk staring over at the elevator with a look that could only be described as lost, "Hey. Tony. DiNozzo!"

He snapped his head towards him, "Oh hey, probie." He said, a little softly with no harshness to it. Now this threw McGee off guard.

"Something wrong? We just finished a case, you should be happy."

"I'm fine McNosy, get out of my business."

McGee sighed. He looked over at Ziva's empty desk and then realized what must have happened. Ziva must have left for Tel Aviv. Sure, he had been curious too, but he hadn't felt the need to search through her desk like Tony did.

He decided to be brave and ask the question, "Where'd Ziva go?"

"Home," Was Tony's one word answer.

"Home? I thought she was leaving for Tel Aviv." He asked, confused.

"Exactly, _McGee_. She's going home." And he stood up and shoved his desk drawer in, "I gotta return some stuff before the stores close. Do me a favor and take this down to Abby. Run it for facial recognition. Non-US. Interpol."

"Run what for facial recognition?" McGee asked, confused before Tony stood up and placed a picture into his hands.

"Night, probie." He said before he left the squadroom and got into the elevator. The doors closed and Tim stared down at the image, confused as to why Tony had a picture of a foreign man with him, on a boat, but then he realized why exactly he had it.

"_You lose something there Tony?" He remembered himself asking as he leaned over the 'barricades' of the bullpen to see him opening up a drawer._

"_Just the ability to snoop around Ziva's desk without anyone noticing anything." McGee shook his head. Tony. Always trying to pull a prank on her, on all of them, "Did she say…anything specific to you about taking a trip to Tel Aviv?" He asked as he continued to search through her desk. _

_McGee now understood, at this point. Tony wanted to know why; it had been bugging him all day, how could he have not remembered? He decided to be mean and play along, "Yeah."_

_Tony stopped searching and snapped his head up to him, "She did?" He asked, almost in disbelief before standing up, smiling his famous 'DiNozzo' smile and leaning up against the other side of the barricade. He looked around a little before whispering, "Ah….oh…so what'd she say?"_

_McGee played and looked around before leaning in and whispering, "That she's taking a trip to Tel Aviv."_

_DiNozzo laughed a little, smiling and he shook his head. McGee admired the Senior Field Agent's reaction, "Ah. Thanks for bringing me up to speed." McGee just grinned and nodded his head. He enjoyed these few moments where he could actually toy with Tony's brain instead of the other way around. Tony returned to searching through the other side of Ziva's desk, opening up a drawer._

"_By the way, boss wants you to take a look at the preliminary police report of Azari's murder case." _

"_The slang of that drug dealer, Randal Carlson?" McGee asked, "Why can't we ask Fornell?"_

_Tony picked up a lime green sticky note he found in Ziva's desk and flicked it, "Because the case didn't originate…" He sniffed it, "with the FBI." McGee nodded, contemplating this new information._

"_Local LEO's handled the preliminary investigation." He said, realizing. Tony put his head up, sighed, and then returned back to Ziva's desk. McGee realized, just by that look, "Gibbs asked you to get that file, didn't you?" _

_On getting caught, he slammed Ziva's desk drawer shut and stood up, turning to the junior field agent, "Fine, McGee. I was trying to delegate. But if you're gonna be too lazy to take this responsibility, I guess I will do it myself," McGee smiled, "As soon as I finish doing what you are no longer seeing me do." McGee smiled as he started into the bullpen, towards his desk._

"_Okay, but you know Ziva will kill you if she finds out that you are doing what I am no longer seeing you do." He called out as he dropped his backpack on the ground._

"_Well then it's a good thing you aren't seeing me do it." Tony said, a little despair in his voice._

This must have been the cause of that. Tony was jealous on so many levels, it wasn't even funny. In fact, he wondered why they didn't just get together. They were all over each other in the evidence garage today, and he had been polite and turned his back on them. I mean, he called her 'my ninja'. He might as well have called her 'love'. Ziva still, however, wouldn't have been phased by it. McGee doubted that Ziva believed that Tony loved her, or was jealous of the men that she was with even if Tony told her himself. Even if he went out and told her 'I love you', he doubted she would believe him, she was so thick-skinned.

McGee made his way to the elevator and pressed the 'LAB' button. The elevator went down and he walked into Abby's lab just as she was packing up for the evening, "Hey, Abs, I got one more thing for you. Not much, just a request on Tony's behalf."

She smiled, "Hey Timmy. Yeah, what is it? What does the movie god want?"

McGee handed her the picture, "Facial recognition and background information. He said he was Interpol, non-US resident."

"Oh yeah, sure, no problem. I can get that done simple. They with an organization?"

"No idea. Tony didn't tell me. Try Mossad though."

"Mossad as in 'Ziva' Mossad?"

"Yeah, that'd be it."

"Well if it's Mossad, why does Tony want it?" She grinned, "Is he smiting with Ziva?"

"Who? Tony?" Abby nodded her head, "No…I dunno. Just run it. I wanna get home."

"Look, Timmy, my computer can only run so fast. You can't rush these things." Abby said, typing in information into the computer as she scanned the image in. She walked around the lab while McGee stayed in one place, "So…did Ziva leave for Isreal yet?"

"Yep."

"Is Tony okay?"

"Why wouldn't he be okay?"

She grinned as she started to skip, "I dunno…maybe cause he had a thingy thing for her?"

McGee rolled his eyes, "Tony doesn't have a 'thingy thing' for Ziva. He just cares for her."

"A lot." Abby added in.

McGee sighed, "A lot. And he flirts with her, but what girl doesn't Tony flirt with?"

"Me. And the Director. Well the old Director. Because Vance definitely isn't a girl." She grinned, "Yet. I still have to get my revenge on him for being the big bad Director and sending you all away."

McGee gaped, "So you're going to turn him into a _girl_?"

"Yup. Well actually, it was either that or kill him with no forensic evidence. But then I was thinking-" She started, but was cut off by her computer beeping. A name popped up and Abby read it aloud, "Michael Rivkin. 35. Israeli male….Mossad." She turned to McGee, "You want me to print this out?"

"All of it. Please." He hugged her, "Thanks, Abs." She grinned.

"Aw, no problem, Timmy! I'll do anything for you and a very jealous Tony." She squeezed him back.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next morning, Tim walked out of the elevator and into the squadroom, where he noticed that Tony was already there, working.

"Hey….what are you doing here so early?"

"Just thought I'd get a head start. You got that info on that guy in the photo?"

"Yup." He said, dropping the manila envelope on his desk, "It's about fifty pages, everything that guys ever done is in there. Happy reading."

Tony smiled, "Thanks McDickens. You deserve a probie snack. Go buy one yourself." He watched as Tony stood up and grabbed his backpack, placing the manila envelope in and zipping it back up. He swung it over his shoulder and started for the elevator.

"Where are you going?" McGee called.

"Home. Tell boss I'm sick."

"You're not sick!"

Tony gave a fake cough back, "Yeah, I am McDoctor. Later." He said as he stepped into the elevator. McGee sat down at his computer and stared at his screensaver, realizing that he forgot to turn off his computer last night.

He smiled at Ziva, "You have no idea how much he loves you." He laughed before he smacked his keyboard.

"_Hello Agent McGee!" _His computer chirped, just like normal as he picked up the phone and dialed for the call that he really didn't want to complete.

"Hey boss…? Yeah, it's McGee….uh, Tony's not coming into work today…"


	4. Cloak: Vance

**Scene following that last one in Season 6, Episode 8, 'Cloak'**

Director Vance sighed and rubbed his eyes. It had been a very long day, and he couldn't wait to get home. The whole fiasco with Lee was giving him a headache, and he had to deal with not only a traitor, but Gibbs as well. Everything had gone out as planned, until the alarm went off and his two agents ran like chickens with their heads cut off. And then David had to go all ninja Mossad Officer on them, which had SecNav breathing down his neck.

He punched his phone, "Cynthia."

"_Yes, Director?" _

"Send up Officer David, ASAP."

"_Right away, Director." _She said before she hung up the intercom. He stood up and pushed his chair in, waiting impatiently for her to come into the office. He needed to speak with her about where her conscious lied. Where her trust lied. With _whom _her trust lied with.

She opened the large metal door and walked in, slowly turning around and closing it before walking and standing in front of his desk.

They stood like that for a moment, just staring at the other. Vance chewed on his toothpick and then took it out of his mouth and twirled it between his fingers, "Cynthia told me that you wanted to see me, Director?" She asked, breaking the silence, looking around a little. Vance took in the scar on her eyebrow as well as the faint bruise on her top lip and on the bottom of her nose. If it was broken, Vance could have sworn he saw the faint bruising underneath her eyes.

"Yeah, David, I did. You and Agent DiNozzo infiltrated a highly guarded naval base yesterday."

"That is correct." She nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"An unknown alarm went off. You and DiNozzo ran. You both ran into guards. You both engaged in combat with them when Agent Gibbs tells me that he gave you both specific orders not to engage." He noticed that she didn't change from her position; she merely stared at him, her head slightly cocked to the side.

"That is correct." She repeated, "Tony and I were specifically told not to engage. We both understand the consequences of that."

"Tony?" Vance asked, as if she had said a foreign word, "Looks like you two are on good terms with each other. You don't call each other by last names."

"Yes. We never have. Unless we are upset with the other," Ziva nodded, "What is the point, Director?" She knew that it wasn't something that she should have said to him, considering that he was the Director of NCIS, her boss' boss.

He chose to ignore her question, "I want you and Agent DiNozzo to discuss why you should not engage."

"With each other?" Ziva questioned, and Vance laughed, but then realized that she was being dead serious.

"You talk about being engaged to each other?" He asked, shocked.

"No." Ziva said, quickly, almost too quickly, Vance noted, "What Tony and I talk about is not relevant to the subject, therefore I will not expose that information. Tony would not appreciate it either."

He nodded, "Your compassion for your partner is noted, Officer David."

"Compassion?" She asked, "Tony and I do not have compassion. We have each other's backs. We are partners, nothing more." She looked down at her hands, "I do not feel comfortable talking about my feelings with you, Director Vance." She said, trying to act professional. To be honest, she was completely on edge.

"Why did you engage, Officer David?" He asked, walking around the desk and leaning up against the other side, crossing his arms.

"In the fight?" She questioned, and he nodded his head. She took in a deep breath. She had managed to stop herself in the elevator with Tony, how come she could speak so easily to _him_, to _Director Vance? _"Everything happened so fast. I heard a gunshot. I saw Tony on the ground…I….I thought he was dead." She managed to spit out as she avoided making eye contact with anyone. She didn't let her eyes linger on any one thing. Director Vance took special note of this.

"So why did you fight if you knew your partner was down?"

"To protect him. And if Tony was dead, then he would have wanted me to finish off the men that killed him. I know that."

"And what does DiNozzo want to do if you were killed?"

"I do not know," She admitted, "We do not talk about it."

"Then how do you know that DiNozzo would have wanted you to finish off the guys that offed him?"

"It is one of those conversations you do not need to have. One that is spoken to the other without words. Only with body language and your eyes."

"I see." Director Vance said, nodding as he soaked in that piece of information. Looked to him like they were more than just partner's. "Just one more question." He didn't like Gibbs, or his team, but he hated making people uncomfortable. Scratch that. He loved making people feel uncomfortable. He just hated making Mossad Assassin's uncomfortable. He didn't know what they could pull, "Would you take a bullet for him?"

Her answer was immediate, short, her eyes snapping up to meet his, "Yes."

"You would die for him."

Before he even finished his sentence, "Yes."

Vance studied her, but her expression never changed from the annoyed glare on her face, "I see…" He knew that there was something between them. He knew from the beginning, why else had he sent Tony as far as possible from her? He knew he could not contact her from that ship, and he knew how Mossad was directed, and he knew that they would hopefully realize that missions were more important than the other. Like in LA with Director Shepard. Now with Lee, "This isn't the first time you and DiNozzo have screwed the pooch."

Knowing very well that he was referring to LA, she suddenly started towards the door, "I am done here." She said, putting her hand on the handle. She turned it.

"David." He said, firmly, and she paused, "You open that door and I'm sending your ass back to Mossad faster than you can say goodbye."

She huffed let go of the handle, "Why is my relationship with my partner so interesting to you?" She demanded, "Last time I checked, we were both entitled to our right to our own opinions, which means how we feel about others. Tony did not do anything wrong in LA." She said, sighing as she lied, "It was all my fault." She took the blame. She didn't know why, "Tony wanted to tail her. I wanted to stay back."

"And do what?"

"Read my book." She said, which was partly true. She was lying, and she was lying straight to the Director.

"So DiNozzo didn't screw the pooch over?"

"No. It was my fault. It was entirely my fault. I am sorry, Director. May I go now?"

"Just a minute, David."

She sighed and turned to him, "Tony and I have already _talked_ about what went wrong during the mission, do not worry."

"Do not let your feelings get into the way of this mission, or any mission. I don't want to lose an agent." She stared at him, blinking once, twice.

"You think I have feelings for Tony?" She asked, unbelievably, and Vance wondered where she had been the entire conversation. Thinking about DiNozzo maybe? He inwardly shuddered. He never liked Tony from the start. All fun and games, no work. How he could get involved with someone who was all work and uptight with no fun and games, he didn't understand, but they knew each other like he knew the back of his own hand. They knew everything about one another, or so it seemed to him.

"I do not have any reason to believe that you don't. When I talked to DiNozzo earlier today, he was rather protective of you as well. Be careful." He warned, "And make sure that nothing like this happens again. Because if it does, and you two become more involved with making sure the other is safe instead of completing the mission, you're both off of Gibbs team and you're getting shipped back to Israel as well as DiNozzo getting fired. Mossad can deal with you there." He pointed to the door, "You are free to go, Officer David."

She nodded and then left the office, closing the door behind her. He stared after her and put a toothpick in his mouth, chewing on it a little. He had never seen two people so involved and so protective of the other.

Something was going on with them.

A blind man could see it.

He chuckled.

He wondered what Gibbs thought about it.


	5. Dagger: Ducky

**Scene immediately following the last scene in Season 6, Episode 9, 'Dagger'**

Ziva almost ran towards the elevator, hopping in and shoving the 'close doors' button again and again, waiting for it to close before Tony managed to catch up with her. She didn't want him to see her cry, not like this. She wasn't even her own daughter or sister, and she was crying as if it was her own.

As the doors closed, she debated between the 'LAB' button and the 'AUTOPSY' button, but finally chose the 'AUTOPSY' button. She didn't feel like she could deal with Abby's hyper character at the moment, and she wouldn't believe her either. She wouldn't understand what she was going through and why. But to be honest, Ducky didn't know either. No one understood, not even her father or Gibbs…or even…Tony, her best friend, her partner, her _soulmate. _She knew. Whether he knew or not, it didn't matter; she knew.

She walked through the doors of autopsy and saw Ducky closing one of the lockers, sighing as he glanced up for a minute before removing his gloves and starting towards the sink, to wash his hands, "It is always difficult to perform an autopsy on someone you were close to, Ziva." The ME said as he turned off the sink and removed his scrubs. He then started to dry off his hands, "Dear, are you all right? You look rather down…" He walked towards her, studying her face, "You have been crying." He noted, taking in a deep breath, "The Ziva I know has never cried. Something must really be bothering you." He said, walking over to throw his paper towel away, "What did young Anthony do now?"

"Tony did not do anything." She snarled, almost angrily. She sighed and slumped her shoulders, as if defeated. Her tone of voice changed to a more caring but desperate tone, "Agent Lee had a sister. A much younger sister." She said, and Ducky nodded.

"Yes, I know. Poor dear, to be honest."

She leant up against one of the autopsy slabs as he stood in front of her. The room was only half-lit, "You do not understand, Ducky." She said, looking down at her feet, "I came here for advice."

"I don't know if I can help you, but I will surely try." He responded, trying desperately to make her smile. If there was anything that could make someone's heart break, it was Ziva crying. Ducky thought he couldn't take it. He couldn't even imagine what Tony might feel like if he saw Ziva crying. He knew how much he fancied her, especially after he got back from his mission as an Agent Afloat.

"I did not tell you about this, but when I was young, my younger sister Tali was killed in a suicide bombing. I only have ever told one person about this, for it shook my deeply. She was my best friend. One of the reasons I became an assassin for Mossad, besides my father's requests."

"Who else have you told, Ziva?"

"Tony." She whispered, closing her eyes and saying it so softly as if it was a curse word, "I have only told Tony."

"Then maybe Tony should help you. I am afraid I cannot be much help to you."

"Have you ever lost someone close to you?" She asked, and Ducky paused a moment.

"…Yes….why?"

"How did you get over them?"

"You don't." He said, simply, "The pain of losing someone consumes you until you find someone to replace them or block them completely from your mind. The human brain keeps memories, many painful, stored in the back of your brain; you will never forget them."

She sighed and rubbed her eyes, the tears coming back, "That poor girl." She said, sighing, "I feel so bad for her." The tears were threatening to fall now; her vision was blurry as she looked up at the ME, "You do not understand how she feels! I understand how she feels! I have been there, Ducky! I have been there! I know what it feels like! I know what the void feels like in your heart!" One by one, tears started to stream down her face, very uncharacteristically. Ducky just stood there and nodded as he watched the strong Israeli have a breakdown, "She has no one! I had no one! No one understood how I felt! And then I….then I…then Ari…."

"I am terribly sorry about Gibbs killing him, but it had to be done. Young Caitlin-"

"No! Ducky, you do not understand! Ari was going to kill Gibbs! Gibbs was…Gibbs was unarmed…they were down in his basement." She put up her hands in a shaky manner, in the form of a gun, "I was on the steps. I…I shot him. I shot my half-brother!" She sobbed, and Ducky felt his heart ache for the woman. He went to go and hug her when the doors to autopsy suddenly flew open and Tony came running in.

"Ziva," He said, needing as he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly to his chest, "I know…I just realized…I'm sorry, Zi…I'm sorry." He said as she just sniffled in his grip.

Ducky sat down in his chair and admired the two. The vulnerable Ziva with her knight in shining armor, Tony, coming to rescue the day? It was almost as if they were made for each other. He blinked and saw how perfectly they matched up to each other. They _were _made for each other. He had seen their glances at each other in autopsy when they thought that both Gibbs and the other weren't looking, when in reality, _he_, Ducky, was the one that was looking and taking it in.

Just by the looks, their words, their eye movements, their actions, everything, he could tell that the other was on their mind the entire time. They were there to protect each other, but they were also there to fill in the gaps of love that they needed from their horrible pasts. He watched as she slowly wrapped her arms around Tony, gripping his shoulder blades as she stopped crying, just resting her head against his shoulder.

"I forgot about Tali until now." Tony said, and the name made Ziva shiver in pain. Ducky noticed that he tightened his grip on her, "This must be hard on you." He pulled away to look into her eyes, "You know how Amanda feels."

She nodded, "Yes." She breathed, "You are the only one that understands."

Tony nodded at Ducky and then led her out of Autopsy, into the elevator. He turned around in his chair and started to pack up for the night.

They didn't need a psychological analyst to tell them that they were made for each other, but a good smack in the head could help get their brains thinking in the right place.

He chuckled, but that was Jethro's job.

**Okay, so you may be thinking...she's done like all of the characters! What's going on now? So I'm just going to repeat the other characters POV's (until the end of season 6)as their relationship grows over the season, which it better or else I'll hurt someone, so don't worry! Review?  
**


	6. Road Kill: McGee

**Scene immediately following the last one in the Season 6, Episode 10 'Road Kill'**

"Uh…Ziva? What are you doing?" McGee asked from where he stood in shock in the middle of the back entrance to the bullpen. He was ready to go home, and he headed back up to his desk to find Ziva in the middle of the squadroom doing…well what he thought was air guitaring.

She quickly stopped and composed herself, standing up straight. She nervously fixed her top, smoothing down the wrinkles as she started back towards her desk, sitting down and opening up a case file, "Nothing, McGee." She said, skimming through the information McGee knew that she wasn't really reading.

He gave her a small smile as he started towards her desk, slowly walking. _Slowly. _He had to be careful, "Were you just trying to air guitar?" He asked, and her eyes snapped up at his.

"No." She said, quickly, too quickly, "Why do you ask, McGee?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "No reason." He said as his mind flashed back to earlier yesterday in the bullpen when Ziva was showing Gibbs the crime scene photos. He distinctly remembered her jumping when the picture of Tony air-guitaring popped up onto the screen, as if it had been pictures of her and Tony making out or something. Or her bikini photos…

"You always have a reason." She smiled, "And if you do not, then can you please kindly step away?"

"Sorry." He mumbled, "Just wanted to know what you were doing. Because normally you're not as...fun."

She scoffed as McGee started to walk back to his desk, "Not fun? I have lots of fun. Except I, unlike Tony, would like to have fun in more adult ways." She said, shrugging.

"Like what?" Tim demanded.

"Like reading." She suggested, using the example she had used on Tony earlier today.

"Hah!" A different voice said, and she jumped almost a foot in the air she was caught off guard. She spun around in her chair and came face to face with her partner, who was grinning his famous 'DiNozzo grin' and leaning up against the other side of the wall behind her desk. His head was propped up against his hand, and his right elbow was on the wall, "You used that excuse to me yesterday!" He said, "Tell me some more Ziva David secrets. What do you do in your spare time besides target practice, knife throwing, crazy ninja skills, and _reading_?" He asked as he walked around, standing in front of her desk. McGee became interested and stood next to Tony.

He wouldn't admit it, he wouldn't dare to admit it, but he was rather interested as well.

"Why are you so interested in my personal life, Tony?" she asked and McGee realized that this was quickly becoming one of those conversations that had to deal with her and Tony and no one else. She had her 'blinders on' as he would put it, "And I thought you were going to that movie."

"Goodfellows?" He asked, and she nodded, "I am. After I take you with me. Come on, let's go."

"I told you another time, _DiNozzo." _She growled, snatching her arm off of the table and smacking his hand away.

He laughed and smiled at McGee for a moment, who just smiled back, and then turned back to his partner, "Uh uh sweetheart, you aren't getting out of this one easily."

"What?" She asked, confused, "Getting out of what?"

"Why you decided to air guitar in the middle of the bullpen."

She fumbled for the words, "I…well I…I was just…I was just practicing my martial arts moves!" She defended herself.

Tony laughed and nodded, "I'm sure you were."

"What?" She demanded, "You do not believe me, Tony?"

"Oh, I believe you." He said in a sarcastic tone, "Just like I believe that young probie wan Kenobi here-" He pointed to McGee next to him, "Didn't base the characters in his book after us."

She rolled her eyes, "That is because you do not believe anything." She scoffed before pointing to his desk, "Since you are here. The file on the murder case is on your desk."

He just glanced at it and then back to her, placing two hands on her desk as McGee backed away, watching them from afar. Their faces were about a foot apart and he just wanted to smash them together. _Now you're starting to sound like Abby! _He groaned.

"Just admit it, you took my advice and decided to act childish, didn't you, Zee-vah?" He asked, over-pronouncing the syllables in her name.

She looked into his green eyes and nodded, once, shortly, "Yes. I took your advice and acted childish. But what was wrong with that?" She questioned, and Tony grinned.

"Nothing." He said, "But why'd you listen to me? Why now? I mean you've never listened to me before, why now?"

"Because you have grown up, Tony." She said, softly. McGee snapped his head towards them. They were actually having a real conversation. A real, meaningful conversation. He decided to listen, for he was oblivious to the two of them, caught up only in each other's presence…again.

"Thanks. Mind telling me what you like to do that are 'adult' activities now?" Tony asked, changing the subject and McGee sighed. So much for figuring out one of their actual, meaningful conversations. It was over before he knew it.

She looked up at him, "No." She said, leaving her mouth dangling open at the last syllable before closing it again.

"Why not?" Tony whined, and Ziva looked down. McGee saw a sparkle in his eye, and he cocked his eyebrow at him before he grinned larger down at his partner, "Oohh…ohoho! I see! I see!"

She rolled her eyes, not looking up at him, as she seemed deeply interested in the file that she had become interested in when McGee had walked in earlier, "See what?" She asked, exasperated.

"What other 'adult' activities you like to do. Or should I say, _who _you like to do." Her eyes snapped up to his, "It's okay to admit that you're horny." He grinned, leaning in closer to her, "I am all the time." He whispered and McGee watched in amazement as Ziva stood up abruptly, placing her face dangerously close to his.

"So I like to have sex…so what?" She asked before staying near him a little longer than necessary and then packing up, grabbing her backpack and her coat, "Goodnight, Tony. McGee." McGee's head snapped up. He hadn't even realized that she even recognized that he was there. She was just so caught up with Tony…

"You know what, Ziva?" Tony called as he rushed to catch up with her, from where she was standing in front of the elevator, "Instead of going to see Goodfellows tonight with me, we could always go to one of those adult theaters and watch a porno!" He called as she growled and got into the elevator. He followed her and McGee rolled his eyes.

"Night guys!" He called after them before he turned around and started back towards his desk to finish packing up for the night. He was a little disappointed that they didn't say goodnight to him, or even recognize that he was there, but that was to be expected. This was Tony and Ziva he was talking about.

They only had eyes for each other.

Now all they needed was for someone to lift the wool off from over their eyes so they could see that they wanted each other, and they wanted each other _bad. _


	7. Silent Night: Gibbs

**Scene following the last one in the Season 6, Episode 11, 'Silent Night'**

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs walked into the bullpen, a fresh cup of coffee from the break room in hand. Of course the coffee shop wasn't open, it was Christmas night, and maybe, just maybe, it was the 26th already. He glanced at the clock. Twenty minutes to midnight. Not quite yet.

He expected the bullpen to be clear, free of all agents, partly why he came back to HQ instead of sitting in his basement. He wanted to build his boat, he really did, but he just didn't feel up to it tonight. Shocking, he knew, but he just wasn't feeling it. However, when he walked into the bullpen, he was shocked to see an Israeli sitting at her desk, typing on her computer.

"Ziva?" Gibbs asked, shocked as he stood in front of her desk, staring down at her. She just glanced up at him.

"Good evening, Gibbs." She nodded and then stared back at her computer screen. Gibbs studied her and noticed that her eyes were squinted at the screen, and she was obviously trying to keep them awake. He looked down at her desk and noticed just three presents, one, from Abby, he was certain, that made him smile a little. Cotton balls? He wondered who the other two were from… "Abby, McGee, and Ducky." She said, as if reading his mind.

"You haven't opened them yet." Gibbs commented, picking up a small, red packaged box, shaking it a little and determining that it was probably jewelry. McGee or Ducky?

"From Ducky." She said, reading his mind again, "And I do not believe that Holidays of any type require material gifts to feel loved. Just to know that the people that you are around love you is all that matters to me." She looked up at him, "To know that they'd die for you."

"Like Tony." Gibbs heard himself saying, and he was going to take it back, but he didn't. He couldn't. He was too late. She shook her head, which shocked the boss, but of course, he wouldn't show that.

"No. I do not believe he cares much for me." She said, "Wasted three years of my life." She stared at his desk, and then, as if magic, she snapped back to Gibbs. She seemed lost in her own little world, and Gibbs tilted his head to the side, staring at her. Something happened between them. And not caring much for each other? He almost laughed. They were so obvious that they cared for each other, it wasn't even funny. And what was this 'wasting three years of my life'? She..she didn't. She couldn't. She didn't fall in love with him, did she? He almost felt the urge slap her upside the head, but that wouldn't be probably. Besides, it was only a matter of time before it happened...he wasn't dumb.

"Tony cares for you. You're partners."

"But just because I would take a bullet for him does not mean that he would take one for me. Put his life in so much danger just to protect me?" She almost laughed, "I do not think so! That is not Tony. And I know Tony." And she was right, she did know Tony. Perhaps she knew him better than Gibbs did, and he'd been working with him longer.

"Don't be too hard on, DiNozzo, all right? Seems to me like you two have problems."

She scoffed, "We do not have problems! Tony has the problems! He's the one that refuses…" She stopped and waved her hand, "Never mind. I have to finish this report, Gibbs."

She reached for her keyboard when it was suddenly yanked from her by Gibbs. She reached up like a little kid wanting the candy on the top shelf, "Gibbs!"

"Go home, Ziva. It's Christmas. Go home."

"I told you, I do not believe in the material version of holidays!"

"Go home!" He demanded.

"I cannot, Gibbs! You do not understand!"

He let the keyboard falter a little, but he still kept it out of her reach as he stared down at her. She looked like she was going to break the tough Mossad skin around her any second, "What don't I understand?"

She fell back in her seat and pinched the bridge of her nose. She closed her eyes and whispered, "I cannot stand to be alone."

"You're not alone, Ziva."

"Yes I am Gibbs." She opened her eyes and looked up at him, "I am alone in this world."

"You've got me, Duck, McGee, Abby, DiNozzo."

She scoffed, "Tony." She changed her tone to a questioning one, "Tony?" She laughed, "Tony."

Gibbs wondered what was going through her mind, and then he just watched as she stared out, through the window, the snow falling down and sometimes hitting the glass plates. The ninja Mossad assassin actually seemed _serene _and _vulnerable. _He sighed, "I understand what it's like to be alone." He said, softly, and she snapped her head up to him.

"Celebrate the holidays with me?" She asked, almost pleading. His mind went back to two years ago when he was still in Mexico, drinking beer and building a teak hot tub… '_Save me?' _Her voice was pleading then, and it was pleading now.

"Ziver, I don't think…"

"Gibbs, please." She said, standing up and staring into his piercing, ice blue eyes. The elevator doors dinged, bringing her out of her thoughts as she quickly turned her head to see Tony walking cautiously into the bullpen, a brightly wrapped package in his hand. She furrowed her eyebrows together as he froze in the entrance to the bullpen, "Tony?" She asked, moving her attention from Gibbs to her partner, "What are you doing here?" She asked, pointing to the box, "And what's that?"

He looked between her and Gibbs before breaking out into his famous DiNozzo smile and standing up straight, "Ziva David." He said, walking towards her, "Must you know everything about everyone?"

"I thought it was Christmas."

"It is." He said, "Congratulations, Sherlock." He shook the box, "And this is for you." As he handed her the box. Gibbs gave Tony a look, knowing that Ziva didn't accept material presents.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs suddenly said as he registered the disappointment in Ziva's face as she stared down at the box, smiling, trying not to cry. It was obvious. Tony's eyes snapped up his boss'.

"Yeah, boss?"

He just motioned for him to follow him, and they walked around to the other side of the steps, "Why'd you buy her anything?"

"What, am I not allowed to? Is that like a rule I don't know about?" Tony asked, and Gibbs shook his head.

"She doesn't accept material gifts!"

"Well how was I supposed to know that?" He demanded, "What does she want for Hanukkah then?"

"She just wants to know that you'll take a bullet for her, and that you love her."

Gibbs could have sworn he saw all of the color drain from his senior field agent's face, "What? How did you find out boss?" He demanded, shock evident in his voice as Gibbs realized that may have been the wrong wording to that question. _I knew it. _He said as his hand collided with the back of Tony's head.

"Tell her what she needs to hear, Tony." Gibbs said, and he nodded before starting back towards the bullpen. Gibbs stayed behind, he didn't wanna see his agents break rule twelve. Not yet. He closed his eyes and then opened them back up as he realized that Tony wasn't moving, "What?" He demanded.

Tony's arms were suddenly around him, patting his back, "Merry Christmas, Boss."

"Merry Christmas, Tony." He said, patting him back as he let go of him before he started towards the bullpen. He stayed behind and thought about what he had done.

Well at least Ziva would have a Hanukkah with someone.

She wouldn't be alone in life anymore.

As he walked back into the bullpen, he watched as Tony led Ziva out of the bullpen. Ziva stopped him and he nodded as he started towards the elevator. Ziva stood in front of Gibbs desk, "Gibbs." She said, waiting for him to look up.

"Ziva?"

"Thank you." She smiled, "And sorry for back there-"

"Don't apologize…"

"Sign of weakness, yes. Thank you, Gibbs. And Merry Christmas, "She said, walking around and bending down to hug him, lightly. He stood up and hugged her back, squeezing her close to him as he whispered into her ear.

"Happy Hanukkah, Ziver." He said, using his pet nickname for her.

"Goodnight, Gibbs." She said as she let go of him. He watched her run out of the bullpen and join Tony in the elevator, who had been holding it open for her. He nodded at him as Tony smiled back just as the doors sealed shut. He sat down and opened up his desk drawer, pulling out the canteen and rubbing his finger over 'Shannon' and then 'Kelly'.

He gave a small smile as he said, softly, barely audible even to his own ears, "Merry Christmas, you two." He bit back the tear that was threatening to fall.

For Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Christmas would never be the same.

Not without them.


	8. Love and War: McGee

**Scene following the last one in the Season 6, Episode 14, 'Love and War' (P.S. I overdid the McNicknames in this one) Enjoy!**

NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee felt odd as he climbed the steps to the door that led into Tony's apartment. He had finished up his report, nearly two hours after Ziva finished hers, said goodnight, and headed off after their pizza.

He felt almost…gay…for falling in love with an electronic 'woman', who really turned out to be his co-worker. He shouldn't have believed it. He was an idiot. When Ziva told him, pulling him aside quickly before Tony went looking for her (because he obviously couldn't let her out of his sight since he'd seen that photo of the Israeli man on her desk), he barely believed her. But the sincerity in her eyes and the threats on his life if he didn't believe him made him realize that she was, in fact, being honest with him.

He lifted his hand up and went to knock before he pulled it back. Through the door, he could hear voices.

"_Popcorn?" _He heard Tony ask. He pushed his ear up against the door more.

"_Yes, please." _He heard Ziva's distinct, foreign voice as well. He pulled back, quickly. Since when did Ziva go over to Tony's place?

He was about to turn away when the door opened, revealing a confused Tony with a popcorn bowl in his hand.

"See, I told you." Ziva said, rolling her eyes from where she sat on the couch behind him. She got up, a glass of red wine in her hand, and stood next to her partner, "How long have you been standing out there, McGee?"

"Yeah, probie!" Tony said, taking a handful of popcorn and shoving it into his open mouth, "We would have let you in."

"Really?" McGee asked, and Tony shook his head.

"Nope!" He grinned before the door was slammed in the junior field agent's face. He frowned at the door.

"Typical DiNozzo." McGee muttered, and he could hear Ziva yelling at her partner through the door.

"Tony! Why did you do that? Open up the door! Now!"

"But Ziva…" he whined.

"NOW!" She commanded, and he sighed as he let it open, moving out of the way to let McGee in, mumbling quietly to himself.

"Thank you." Tim said as he walked in.

"So why you here, probie?" Tony asked as he and Ziva ate out of the same bowl of popcorn, still in Tony's hands.

"I could ask the same of you."

Tony laughed, "This is my house, McAddress." He said, mouth full of the kernels, laughing a little as he said it.

"I was talking to….Ziva…" He breathed before and after her name, pointing quickly to his partner before dropping his hand, "You live here now or something?"

"No!" They both shouted, quickly, almost too quickly.

"You know, McGee, this is why you never get a date." Tony said, walking towards him, "You never pay attention."

He was taken aback, "I do too pay attention!"

"Well then you'd know that today is Tuesday…and since it's Tuesday, it's DiNozzo/David movie nights. This week....Bond. James Bond." He said, trying and failing to do his James Bond impression.

"How come I was never told about this?"

"Uh…maybe because we didn't want you to know?" Tony asked, as if he had asked a stupid question.

"Tony!" Ziva scolded, scoffing and rolling her eyes. She walked towards them and turned to McGee, "You can stay if you want."

"Hey!" He turned to her, "This is _my _apartment!" he pointed his finger to his chest at 'my'. McGee rolled his eyes. _Here we go again. Thinking more about each other than anyone else. _

"I understand that, Tony, but this is also our movie night." She said, smirking at him, crossing her arms.

"But Zeevahh!" He wined, stretching out her name to its full extent, "This is _our _movie night, and 'our' doesn't consist of you and me and McGee! Come on, Ziva." He whined and pleaded, and McGee knew that he just wanted time with Ziva alone. This was probably the time that he learned the most about her life, especially since it was after a case and she was at her most vulnerable state of mind.

McGee decided to be nice (besides, he got his revenge on Tony anyways…and forty bucks), and leave them to be with each other, "Uh…it's okay. Just wanted to….say…well…I'll tell you guys tomorrow. I'm going to just….head home."

"And do what, Probie?" Tony asked, coming out of his lovers…er…._spat _with Ziva.

"I don't know." He smiled, turning back around to face them, "Maybe I'll…hmmm…I don't know…" He opened up the door, the cold air rushing in to greet them, "Give Claire a chance again." He flashed them a smile, and he watched as Tony's face turned bleach white, his eyes growing large.

"Okay, McDateless, I thought that you…understood that she's not real."

"Really?" Tim asked, feigning surprise, "Didn't know that, Tony!"

He just glared at him, "I made him up, McLoser. Get over it. I was bored. At least I'm creative and made up my _own _characters that weren't based off of anyone else! Unlike you and your book, McGemcity. So get your McButt off of my McPorch."

"So if you made 'Claire'…" He put air quotes around her name, "…up, you're the 45 year old, overweight man that lives in Minnesota then?" Tim grinned, showing all of his pearly white teeth. Ziva giggled, something she rarely did, placing her hand in front of her mouth.

"Shut up, probie." He muttered, "Don't you forget who was in _loooveee _with her." He said, before slamming the door in his face.

McGee turned around, smiling to himself before starting back down the steps, "Yeah, and don't forget who's in loooveee with Ziva, _DiNutso._" He laughed to himself as he left the apartment feeling better than he did when he arrived.

**: ) I quite like this one. It was fun to write. : ) Review?**


	9. Deliverance: Abby

**Scene immediately following the last one in Season Six, Episode 15, 'Deliverance'**

"You know, I really don't think we should be doing this," McGee sighed from where they were sitting in Abby's lab, the door closed and locked tight. On Abby's desk was McGee's phone, which held a call, on speaker phone, "This is a _really _bad idea." He sighed, "Abs…"

She slapped him, not hard, but not soft, "McGee, shut up, watch the movie, and eat the popcorn." She said, shoving a fist full of popcorn into her open mouth, staring intently at the screen.

"Abby, this isn't a movie! This is the security tapes for the _bullpen." _

"I know, that Timmy!" She said, "What do you think I'm dumb or something?" She growled, shoving another handful of popcorn into her mouth before pointing to the phone, her mouth full of the buttery popped kernels, "Ziva and Tony will come back any second now from doing whatever Gibbs told them to do to do paperwork. We need to know what happens."

"Yeah, well the second they come back, Abby, is the second that they're going to hear your scream. I mean, we're technically hacking into the security tapes _and _Tony's desk phone."

She rolled her eyes, "It's not hacking, McGee. It's just…borrowing."

"Borrowing?" he raised his eyebrows, "Borrowing? I don't think so. And besides, another reason this is a bad idea is that they're gonna hear you Abs, it's on _speakerphone._" Groaning, she shoved the popcorn bowl at Tim.

"You make everything so difficult! And you're supposed to be the computer geek?" She frowned as she snatched his phone, pressing a couple of buttons before setting it back down and snatching the popcorn bowl back from him, "There. It's on mute. Now we can hear them, but they can't hear us."

"Well…I…uh…I would have thought of that…."

She just turned to look at him before snapping her head quickly back to the screen, "Sure you would have."

"I would have!" He protested, "I just wasn't thinking about that. I was thinking about the case."

"Oooo I know! With Gibbs and the almost son! Jeez! I was freaked out for a second there!"

"Yeah. Yeah, I know, so was I."

"Tony, I do not believe that a woman can actually bend their body in that sort of fashion." Ziva's voice came through the speaker phone, and Abby nearly screamed as she turned to look at the screen. Ziva and Tony walked into the bullpen and, at the exact same time, threw their backpacks down on the floor and sat down, sighing simultaneously. Abby squealed as she shoved Tim and pointed to the screen.

He just sighed, regretting that he ever agreed to this, "Oh my god…"

"They did that at the same time! Same time! Same time! Perfect for each other!" She grinned, bouncing up and down.

"They just put their backpacks down!" Tim complained, pointing to the screen.

"SHH!" Abby commanded, shoving more popcorn into her mouth, staring intently at the screen, intrigued, for the grin on her face was large.

"Ah, trust me, Ziva, a woman can definitely bend her body that way. I've seen it done many times before."

"One of your pornos, yes?"

He laughed, "No, actually, unlike you, I actually have sex….you know…with other human beings."

"What?" She questioned.

"You know." He paused, "Sex." She cocked her head at him. She understood what sex was, it was one of her…better….areas of expertise, right up there with knife throwing and gun handling, but she didn't understand why Tony didn't think that she had sex with other people. He smiled, "I guess I have to teach you about the birds and the bees then, don't I? You see, Ziva, once upon a time there was a guy bee and a chick bird and…."

"No!" She shouted out, "I understand what sex is. That is not the point. What I still do not understand is why you believe that I do not have sex with people."

"Well maybe it's because you threaten to kill people."

"I do not do that!" She defended, and Tony just stared at her, "All the time." She mumbled, admitting her fault, for once, "But I do bet you that I could get three guys to have sex with me…" She leaned forward, "In one night."

Tony laughed, "Ahah, Ziva…that is where you're wrong. I could get…" He put up five fingers to show her, "Four girls in one night."

Ziva just laughed, and he looked at his hand before sighing and letting down one finger, "Did not pass math, did we?"

"Shut up." He mumbled, "The point is, I could get more women in bed with me than you could."

She laughed as she pretended to look busy with the paperwork that she hadn't started, "I could have gotten all of those men in that gang today to sleep with me."

Tony snorted, "Oh yeah, because _they're _winners." He leaned back in his seat, putting his hands behind his head and propping his feet up onto the desk.

"What?" She cocked her head as she turned to look at him, "You have meaningless sex all the time, what is the big deal?" She questioned, and, by the look that appeared on Tony's face, Ziva knew that that hurt him. She just smirked, and then turned back to her computer screen.

"Ouch, Ziva. That was harsh," Abby commented as she handed the bowl over to McGee, "Popcorn?" She asked, and he just took a handful before turning his attention back to the monitor.

A couple of minutes passed, and Tony just stared at the woman in front of him. She was so dark and mysterious…he wanted to figure her out. Ziva could feel his eyes boring into her body. She smirked a bit, enough that he couldn't see, and then started to finish her report up. _Half-way through. _She thought as she finished off another sentence. Her mind wasn't really thinking, and if she inserted 'Tony' after every word she was writing, she wouldn't be surprised. Oh, now _that _would be a fun conversation.

"_David. Could you kindly explain to me why DiNozzo's name is ever other word on this report?" _

"_Of course." She could see herself nod, "I was thinking about how much I wanted him in bed with me that night. Naked." _

She almost laughed. She didn't have any right to love her co-worker, especially any co-worker who was not only her partner but also of the name 'Tony DiNozzo'.

It had been about five minutes, and he was still staring at her, "What do you want, Tony?" She questioned, her eyes not leaving the screen.

"Just thinking…"

"About what?" She cut him off, "Me and three guys in my bed?" She smirked, her eyes snapping up to his for a brief second, "I see where your fantasies lie."

"Sorry, Ziva," He sighed, "I just can't picture you with those men from the gang. Sorry."

"I am not offended."

"They're just not your type. You need someone more…" He waved his arms around, still leaning back in the seat, "Confident. Strong. Capable…." She raised an eyebrow at him, her hand frozen about the mouse button, "And someone with lots of talent, charm, and great looks."He grinned his famous DiNozzo grin.

"Oh my god, Timmy! Could he _be _anymore obvious as to who he was referring to when he told her what man she needed?"

McGee hated to admit that she was right, but he groaned, "Yeah, you're right." She squealed again as McGee huffed and took another handful of popcorn into his mouth.

"Is that an offer, Tony?" She questioned, and Tony didn't say anything, he just stared at her. She got up and walked towards his desk, putting her hands on his desk and moving her face close to his. She cocked her head to the side, staring into his green eyes, "Hmmm?"

"Do you want it to be?" He nearly whispered, staring into her deep brown ones.

"Depends." She mused.

"On what?" He questioned, and then mentally hit himself. He shouldn't have been so obvious as his…intentions with Ziva.

"On just how much the man you described for me lines up with the man you are."

"I'm a man?" He questioned, and she moved even closer to him. He didn't move back.

"When you act like one." She nearly whispered, "I have been meaning to ask you something, Tony."

"And what's that, Zeevahhh?"

"Did you mean what you said today, hmm?"

"I said a lot of things today. You gotta be more specific."

"When we went to go and pick up Poptoe."

"Popeye." Tony laughed, "The man's gang name was _Popeye. _You know, the character in the 1933 cartoon that ate Spinach to save that woman he loved oh so much," He started to laugh the famous Popeye laugh before, in his best rendition of his voice, said, "That's all I can stands and I can't stands no more!"

Ziva, who normally would get annoyed by his constant movie/TV show antics, just smiled at him, "Whatever." She brushed it off. He was obviously, like normal, trying to get off of the topic, "Did you mean what you said?"

"What do you mean? Ziva, come on!"

She looked down at the desk, suddenly feeling foolish as she said, quietly, under her breath, "La bonita."

Tony just sat back in his chair, and Ziva nodded, understanding as she stood up and started back towards her desk.

"NO!" Abby nearly shouted at the screen, "BOO!" She threw popcorn at it before turning to McGee.

"That was the part where he was supposed to grab her and kiss her passionately! McGee! I want a refund!" He groaned.

"Fine. Throw up that Caf-Pow I bought you." She glared at him, crossing her arms as she turned back to the screen, upset.

"Never mind."

"I have finished my report." She announced as the printer behind her desk began to start up, "I will see you tomorrow, yes?" She asked, refusing to make eye contact as she grabbed the papers out of the printer, stapled them together, put them in the manila case file folder before setting it onto Gibbs desk. She walked back over to her desk and grabbed her backpack up, "Lailah Tov, Tony."

"Ziva, wait!" he called out, and she turned from where she was in the middle of the entrance to the bullpen.

"Yes?" She asked as she turned half-way to look at him.

"Ah…" He caught a blank at the moment before he took a deep breath, "Goodnight…la bonita." She just nodded before she turned, away from him and gave a small grin.

"Lailah Tov, Guapo." She grinned, mixing her languages as she exited the bullpen, leaving Tony to his thoughts. Figuring he'd finish the report tomorrow, he went to pack up, shutting down his computer when he noticed a red light coming from his desk phone. _Speaker phone? _He thought as he looked around, checking for anyone.

When he noticed that no one was there, he tapped on the speaker, "Hello?" He questioned, "Hey!" No answer. _Who the hell…? _He looked over at Gibbs desk and quickly ran over, opening up the drawer where he normally kept his gun and noticed that his cell was still there. _It's not Gibbs…_ He looked up and his eyes flashed to McGee's. _Of course. _He laughed as he grinned, glancing up at where the security camera was placed before heading over to Tim's desk, ready to snoop. He popped his lips together a couple of times before stretching his fingers and opening up the drawers, smiling as he pulled out Tim's favorite snack.

"Oh yum!" He said, loudly, opening up the candy bar, "I don't think McGee will mind if I eat his _last, favorite _candy bar…" he turned deliberately towards the camera and opened it up. He was moving it towards his mouth, just inches from it when McGee's voice came from Tony's desk.

"HEY! Tony! Put that down!" he ran over to his desk, leaning over and yelling at the phone, pointing one finger at it.

"HAH!" He exclaimed, "I _knew _you were listening. Thought you could be little McSneak, didya? Huh? Well you better watch out, McSpy. You better watch out. Because I'm gonna get you back."

"Who? You and 'la bonita?'" Tim grinned as Tony just stared at the phone, his expression wiped off of his face.

"Shut up." He mumbled, "Just watch out, McGee! Watch. Out." He said, and with that, he hung up the phone, grabbed his cell and his backpack before running out of the bullpen.

Abby sighed, "That was fun." She mused, turning to McGee as she laid back into her chair, "What didja think?"

"I think that they need to just get together. I mean, he called her beautiful, pretty much, and she called him handsome! Come on!"

"Agreed, Tim, agreed. We're both on the same team here."

"Yup. Yup." He nodded. They sat in silence for a while, "Where do you think he went?"

She grinned widely as she turned her head to him, "That, my dear Timmy, is a decision that he and La Bonita will have to make."

**Okay, so after I wrote like half of this, I realized a different character I wanted to do! So I'm going to do TWO for Deliverance, even though there weren't really any Tiva moments! Can anyone guess who's POV I'm going to do next? For the second part of Deliverance? Guess guess guess! REVIEW!**

**p.s. I'll give you guys a hint. They don't REALLY work with them.  
**


	10. Deliverance: Mike Franks

**Scene immediately following the last one in Season 6 Episode 15 'Deliverance'.**

Former NCIS Special Agent Mike Franks walked out of the Director's office, muttering angrily to himself. He couldn't believe it! The new damn director was a bit too cocky for his taste, but he then again, so was the old one…Jenny. Man, he liked Jenny though. She had a nice body too, but he wouldn't tell Jethro that. Oh no, old probie over there would have a heart attack on the spot if he found out. Probably show him just exactly what the Marines taught him.

He undid his tie, the itchy thing bothering him, as he spotted him leaning up against the railing, looking down into the bullpen, "Speak of the devil." He exclaimed, walking over to him. He didn't even look at him.

"Thought you left by now."

"Hell, I wish. But that damn director of yours kept me busy hauling ass all over the place! Probie, what's up with all of these nosy director's?"

He just smirked, "Well Mike, I hate to tell you this, but everyone's like that now."

"I'm missing Cantina time, probie! Siesta!" Jethro just didn't look at him; he continued to look down into the bullpen. What the hell was so damn important to him? More important that siesta time?

He watched him wring his hands together. "You know, Mike, I…what's rule twelve?" He asked him, changing the question completely.

"Rules? What kind of damn rules you talking about, probie? Oh…those rules you made up. Hell, I don't keep track of them. Can barely keep track of my own beer bottle much less you and your stupid rules."

"Do you think I could ask you a question?" He asked.

"You just did. So if you meant to say can I ask you two questions, then the answer is yes. If not, well, you're stranded in Mexico without a beer or a sexy _mujer_."

He just smirked again, "How well do you know my agents?"

"Well enough to know that they'll do anything you say. Wish you acted like that, probie. Where was your sense?"

"How about DiNozzo?"

"Tony? Hell, I'm surprised he's still working here."

"And why's that?"

"I've never really seen him do any work." He shrugged, "Always flirting with that Israeli chick. Reminds me of you, probie, you'd be amazed."

"I'm not." He said, simply, no tone in his voice or expression on his face. "What about Ziva?"

He whistled, and Gibbs had to resist the urge to cringe. He just grasped his hands tighter together. _No one talks about Ziva like that. It may be Mike, but no one talks about her like that. She's still part of my team. My. Team. My. Ziver. I wonder what Tony would do if he heard Mike's opinion…_"If you had half a brain in your head, you'd hang onto her, probie. She's much better than that Madame Director of yours." Jethro glared at Mikes before turning back. He leaned up against the side of the railing just like Gibbs.

The two watched as Ziva looked up at Tony and then stood up, walking over to him, still chatting as she took a seat, perching herself on the edge of his desk. They smiled at each other, still talking to each other. Gibbs heard what they were saying, but Franks couldn't really make it out.

"You would really go out with her?"

"Of course I would, Zee-vah. She's hot. Exactly my type."

"That is all you care about, is it? Her 'overall attractiveness.'?"

"That's a factor." Tony nodded, acknowledging that.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, "You would date anything that is living with breasts."

"I don't date McGee." He grinned, and she just laughed.

"Tony, that's horrible!" She laughed out, but she just continued to do so, a large smile painted on her face as she tried to cover her mouth. Tony grinned larger at the sight. He loved the way she looked right now. He had never seen her laugh so hard in his life, and he loved the sound. He almost wanted to record it and put it as his ringtone for his cell, but he decided not to.

Even Gibbs couldn't keep the smile that was forming off of his face, "I've never seen her laugh so hard, Mike."

"Well DiNozzo must be one special guy."

_That he is. _He watched as Ziva laughed so hard that she fell off of the edge of the desk, falling into Tony's lap in the process. With an oomph, he caught her successfully, her head automatically falling into the crook of his neck. She stopped laughing and caught her breath. She slowly sat up, feeling unable to control her thoughts and her actions as she stared into his eyes, all smiles wiped completely from their faces. Both of their breathing was ragged, as if they were wondering what to do. Centimeters. They were closer than they were in that closet several months ago. She needed to get away before that hot breath that smelled like the lunch they had shared earlier, as well as his amazing smelling cologne became too much to resist. Instead of giving in, she quickly hopped up as if he was a hot plate and hurried to her desk, straightening out her clothes as she did so.

"Whoa." Franks said, "Damn, DiNozzo's slow. If Ziva was sitting in my lap…" He chuckled, "Well hell, let's just say I wouldn't have let her get away like that."

"These are my agents you're talking about here, Mike." Jethro growled.

"Hey!" he put his hands up, "Probie! I was just answering your question. Don't get snippy with me. Remember. Siesta time."

"Nuh-uh, Mike. Don't you do that. Those are my people down there. You don't hit on _Ziva." _

"Tony does."

"That's because he's Tony. Those are my people. I love my people. You don't talk about my people like that." He growled.

"Whoa, Jethro." He put his hands up, "Calm down. It's just an observation. Just like I've observed that Tony has a thing for her. For Ziva. Don't tell me you haven't seen it too." Gibbs' shoulders relaxed and he turned away, towards the bullpen, resuming his original position. He chuckled, "You do see it. You just don't want to admit it."

"They'd be breaking Rule 12, Mike. I can't let them do it."

"So Whatcha gonna do? Break up your team? Happened before, didn't work out so well, did it?"

"Don't you have a plane to catch?" He nearly spat as he growled out the words.

"Take care of yourself, probie." He said as he moved past him, "I'll have a beer for ya when I get back!" he shouted as he started down the steps from MTAC. Tony and Ziva looked up at him as he walked by.

"You leaving, Mike?" Tony asked, and he stopped, his back towards Tony before he turned to look at him.

"Yeah. Siesta time." He grinned, and Tony nodded, grinning back before he focused his attention on Ziva, "Hey. Ziva." She didn't look up at him and he ripped a piece of paper out of his notebook, crumpled it into a ball and then chucked it at her. She growled as she looked up.

"What?" She demanded, "I'm trying to get this report done before Gibbs kills me."

"Boss isn't gonna kill ya. Hey, siesta time?"

"What about it?" She furrowed her eyebrows together.

"You. Me. Our normal bar. Tonight."

"So it would not be siesta time, yes?"

He rolled his eyes, _"Solamente una bebida, la bonita."_

She grinned, _"Autorización, guapo." _

He grinned back, and then caught Franks curious look, "Oh. Ziva and I both speak fluent Spanish as well as Italian."

"Uh huh…well tell probie I said bye. Stay out of trouble, and make sure that probie gets a drink or something, he needs to calm down."

"I understand what you mean." Tony smiled, "I'll get him the message."

"Good." He said, and then left. As soon as he entered the elevator, he shook his head. They were so blind…maybe siesta time was all they needed.

That and a good whack on the head.

Or a cigarette.

He glanced down at his watch. Speaking of Ziva, maybe he could hop a flight to Israel instead. As they say, it's five o'clock somewhere. Maybe five in the morning, but that was beside the point. It was still five. And that was all Mike Franks needed.

**The Spanish:**

**Mujer: Woman**

**Solamente una bebide: Only one drink.**

**La Bonita: Pretty one**

**Autorizació****n: Okay  
**

**Guapo: Handsome  
**

**Okay, so off topic, but I just wanted to say that I went to Sean Harmon's website and he is AMAZINGLY good looking. Like he is GORGEOUS! :) Just wanted to throw that out there! Review? (Psst..and tell me whatcha think about Sean...I mean, my story!) **


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